By Nitoni Osain, Yenagoa
The National Directorate of Employment on Wednesday, flagged off the 93,731 Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), in Bayelsa.
The flag took place at the Modern Primary School Auditorium, Biogbolo Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.
In his speech, Silas Agara, Director General NDE, said that the initiative is the modest effort of the Directorate since his appointment to address the issue of unemployment.
Represented by the State Coordinator Mr Aham Osuchukwu, said that a minimum of 10 persons will be selected from each ward. There are 105 wards in Bayelsa.
He said that there are over 30 skill sets for the youths to choose from. For the first time the NDE has a verifiable data of unemployed youths that applied electronically for the training.
According to him, the youths are interested in digital transformation as over 40 percent of the prospective trainees opted for training in digital skills.
Agara said that the President during his appointment charge him overhaul the Directorate with a view to repositioning it for optimum employment creation.
“Today signposts the first step in the execution of the presidential directive. The 30 skill sets cuts across the four programme areas of the Directorate.
“Namely Vocational Skill Development, Small Scale Enterprises, Special Public Works and Rural Employment Promotion,” he said.
He said various categories of unskilled persons has been provided for within the frame work of the programme, such as school leavers, women, retirees and persons with special needs.
“After the training a good number of the trainees will be resettled while the remaining will be linked to credit granting institutions to enable them establish small scale enterprise of their own.
On his part Mr Ebikebina Okorotie, Special Advicer to Governor on Technology flagged off the training and urged the youths to embrace the training with golden gloves and wished them well their future endeavors.
